BOTANICAL DIFFERENCE. 311 



green tea are now produced there from the same 

 shrubs and the same leaves. Mr. Jacobson assures 

 us, that black and green teas are reared in Java 

 from the same seed ; and that all difference in tea 

 is due to soil and manipulation.* In a botanical 

 sense there is no difference of species. One part 

 of a plantation may produce highly flavoured teas ; 

 other parts only common tea. Both may be of 

 the nature of Souchong tea, or both of that of 

 Congou ; or one Souchong and another Congou. 

 As regards green tea, one may be of the nature 

 of Twankay ; and the other of Hyson, f Nor can 

 any thing be predicated of these plants, as being 

 more suitable to the manipulation of either of 

 these two classes of tea. Experiment, by the 

 ordinary course of manipulation, can alone deter- 

 mine what part of a plantation is more suitable 

 to black tea, and what to green. J 



But if this be true regarding Java, it affords a 

 strong presumption that it may be equally true 

 with respect to China. 



It may, moreover, be observed, that the Chinese 

 universally agree, that the consumption of green 

 tea in China is of very limited extent. The green 

 tea merchants and factors affirm, that it is hardly 

 used out of the province where it is grown. A 

 little " superior Twankay" is sent to the Court of 



* Handboek v. d. Kult. en Fabrik. v. Thee. § 6. 

 f lb. § 197. i lb. § 34. 



x 4 



